AAC Collaboration, Accessibility & Ethical Practices 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A school-based SLP wants to ensure a student's AAC device is used consistently across settings. Which collaborative strategy is MOST effective?
- Schedule monthly team meetings only
- Train all communication partners including teachers and paraprofessionals (Correct answer)
- Limit device use to therapy sessions to avoid confusion
- Assign device management solely to the parent
Correct answer: Train all communication partners including teachers and paraprofessionals
Consistent AAC use across environments requires training all communication partners who interact with the user.
Question 2: Under IDEA, which document must specify AAC supports and services for a student with a disability?
- 504 Plan
- Behavior Intervention Plan
- Individualized Education Program (IEP) (Correct answer)
- Transition Assessment Report
Correct answer: Individualized Education Program (IEP)
IDEA requires that AAC considerations and services be documented within the student's IEP.
Question 3: An AAC specialist disagrees with a physician's recommendation that would limit a patient's communication access. The MOST ethical first step is to:
- Override the physician's recommendation without discussion
- Document the disagreement and do nothing further
- Raise concerns directly with the physician and propose a team meeting (Correct answer)
- Defer entirely to the physician as the authority
Correct answer: Raise concerns directly with the physician and propose a team meeting
Ethical practice requires advocating for the client's communication rights through respectful interprofessional dialogue.
Question 4: Which principle from ASHA's Code of Ethics most directly applies when an AAC provider recommends a device from a company that provides them with financial incentives?
- Principle I: Welfare of persons served
- Principle II: Competence
- Principle III: Conflict of interest and financial disclosure (Correct answer)
- Principle IV: Public statements
Correct answer: Principle III: Conflict of interest and financial disclosure
Financial relationships with manufacturers must be disclosed to avoid conflicts of interest under Principle III.
Question 5: A non-speaking adult with ALS wants to try a specific eye-gaze AAC device, but the interdisciplinary team prefers a different option. What should guide the final decision?
- The team's clinical consensus overrides user preference
- The client's informed preference should be central to the decision (Correct answer)
- Insurance coverage should be the primary factor
- The most technologically advanced device should always be chosen
Correct answer: The client's informed preference should be central to the decision
Person-centered practice requires that the AAC user's informed preference be the central driver of device selection.
Question 6: When conducting a feature-match assessment, which team member's input is MOST critical for identifying vocabulary needs in the school environment?
- The physical therapist
- The classroom teacher and paraprofessional (Correct answer)
- The audiologist
- The school psychologist
Correct answer: The classroom teacher and paraprofessional
Classroom teachers and paraprofessionals provide essential insight into the vocabulary and communication demands of the school setting.
Question 7: Cultural humility in AAC practice requires the clinician to:
- Apply universal AAC protocols regardless of cultural background
- Recognize and address one's own cultural biases while respecting family values (Correct answer)
- Prioritize evidence-based practices over family cultural preferences
- Avoid discussing cultural differences to prevent discomfort
Correct answer: Recognize and address one's own cultural biases while respecting family values
Cultural humility involves ongoing self-reflection about bias and genuine respect for the family's cultural communication values.
AAC Collaboration, Accessibility & Ethical Practices 2
A school-based SLP wants to ensure a student's AAC device is used consistently across settings.
Which collaborative strategy is MOST effective?